The Ring
by midknightXXX
Summary: Marik has never been on a date before, especially not with a boy. Can his twin brother, Mariku, change that? Will Marik agree to it? Angstshipping oneshot for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Fanfiction Contest. Contains some psycoshipping as well and rated T to be safe.


Hikari: Welcome to my Tier 2 of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Fanfiction Contest! Thank you so much for all the reviews in Head Over Heels! I took each one into consideration, and this is the result.

Yamie: Hikari doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! All she owns is this story.

* * *

><p>"Marik, you said you weren't doing anything tonight, right?"<p>

The one called Marik looked over at the blonde who was addressing him. The teen's hair was similar to Marik's, just with more hair gel to keep the spikes up. His violet eyes, a shade darker than his twin's eyes, shined in the sunlight as they walked towards Domino High School on a typical Friday morning.

"No, why do you ask Mariku?" Marik reached a tanned hand out of his backpack to reveal a stick of gum. He casually popped it in his mouth and blew a bubble.

Mariku looked like a kid who woke up on Christmas morning ready to open his presents. "That's great! I've had my eye on these really hot twins at school, similar to us mind you, and I figured 'there are two of them and two of us, so let's hook up on a double date!'" He turned to face his brother for a response.

Marik paled and choked on his gum.

"Mariku… W-what… You mean girls, right?"

Mariku tilted his head to the side, stopping their laid-back stroll towards school. "No, two really hot guys. Didn't you tell me a week ago that you were–"

"Quiet, not in public!" Marik screeched, clapping a hand to his mouth and looking around to make sure no one was on the streets. It was deserted. "I told you never to mention that in public, or even out loud. I am not, I repeat, n-o-t, going on a date with a guy, cute or otherwise."

"If you have no interest in girls, then why wouldn't you go out on a date? Come on, I really want to ask this kid but I want the backup of my brother in case he tries to beat me up or something!" Marik rolled his eyes at that statement. It was obvious just by looking at Mariku's muscles compared to Marik's skinny frame which one was stronger among the two. "Okay, that's a bad example. I just want you to be happy. You haven't even discussed your love life since last week when you told me. I'm not going to judge you, you know. I mean, I'm gay too, so that'd be strange if I said anything against it."

"I… I know, alright? It's just…" He paused taking another look around to make sure no one was going to walk in on their conversation. "I don't want people at school knowing. It would be social suicide!"

Mariku glared at his brother, something completely out of character for the usually happy-go-lucky teen. "You're worried about what random people at school will think? Who cares? Mother always told us that we needed to trust our own image, to show it to the world despite what others may think."

"And where did that get her? Dead, along with daddy, sister, and–" He stopped, unable to say the name. His favorite brother, Rishid, had been among the victims of his mother's protest group. The group's theme for that day was for gay marriage to be accepted among all. A pair of homophobic adults had shown no mercy towards them that day… He could still remember the police officer who told them that they were to be put with a nanny or throw in an orphanage. At least he gave them a choice, and Anzu wasn't too bad to live with.

Mariku sensed that they had gotten into a soft spot. "I miss them too. All we can do is live our lives to the fullest. I can't force you to do anything, but I hope you'll reconsider. Whether you go or not, I'm going to ask them today. It'll be you who has to tell them whether you're coming or not." Mariku took out a compact and a tube of eyeliner from his bag, reapplied his make-up, and walked ahead of Marik towards the school building without offering it to his twin. He turned on his heel and used his shoulder to get into the structure, glancing behind him and motioning for Marik to hurry up.

Marik looked at the gravel below him wishing that Rishid was still alive. He always knew what to say and more importantly, how to act when a sticky situation occurred. That had never been Mariku's strong point. He tried to get people to cave to his will, a habit that started since birth and was still practiced to this day.

One thing was certain: he wasn't going to pay attention in class today. He had too much to think about, and one detail was bothering him.

Who were these twins that Mariku planned to set them up with?

* * *

><p>"So that's why I think it would be fun if we got together, tonight at six, for a bit of dinner and such." Mariku glanced at the teen in front of him with puppy-dog eyes. The boy adjacent to him had a cold stare fixed in his crimson eyes as he curled a strand of spiked, snow-white hair with his finger. The pale appendage stopped and lowered to his side.<p>

"And what makes you think I'd go out with a guy posing as a girl, huh?" He sneered, and began to walk away only to be stopped by a hand.

"Bakura, face the music. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, knows that you're gay. It's a common fact. I mean, look at your eyeliner! I can give you a few tips by the way. You see, the trick is to get the pencil right by your–"

If looks could kill, Mariku would be nothing more than a pile of ash. He began to worry a bit. He was trying to keep the mood light and airy, but that was obviously failing.

"Maybe I can cram your eyeliner pencil down your throat." Bakura spoke with intentional anger, but it came out as more of a joking tone. He just couldn't get himself to stay mad at the blonde. There was something about him…

"Come on! It'll be fun! What would Ryou want?" That hit Bakura home. Ryou had been lonely for a long time not to mention constantly picked on for his interests. A little time out with someone so similar to him would be good for the white-haired teen. Plus the fact that it was hard to find another attractive teen who wanted you to go out with them instead of vice versa. He thought for a minute more before speaking. "Okay, I'll go out with you, but if you try anything that I don't like, I'm taking Ryou and we're out, got it?"

Mariku beamed at how easy the task of inviting them was. Now, if he could just get Marik to go… "That's great, Bakura! Make sure Ryou knows about it too, okay? I'll see you at the restaurant, six sharp. Also, try to work on that liner."

With a curt nod from Bakura, Mariku ran down the hallway back towards the locker that he and Marik shared. It seemed stupid that Mariku got the one locker on the other side of the school, so he proposed to share with his brother. Marik almost never said no to him, the reason why Mariku pretty much owned the locker and his twin had to carry all of his stuff from class to class.

Sure enough, the blonde was waiting for his brother so they could walk to class together. He was straightening his lavender hoodie, something Mariku had bought for him. That much was obvious seeing as it ended in the middle of his torso, was sleeveless, and had gold chains hanging off it. "The gold matches the jewelry that you always wear," he had said that day, motioning towards his necklace, bracelets, and earrings.

"Where have you been?" Marik asked.

Mariku grinned, remembering how smoothly things went. "I was telling our dates where to meet us tonight. They've agreed, so all I need is you to say yes."

Marik turned red and looked at the tiled floor. "Who is my date exactly?"

"That Ryou kid, I forgot his last name. Something long that begins with an N…"

"Necrophades? Do you mean _the_ Ryou Necrophades?" Marik was stunned. The Necrophades twins were known for not having interests in girls, and were therefore picked on daily. Well, Ryou was. Bakura was too, behind his back, but no one was dumb enough to say a thing to his face. The last kid who had… Marik shuddered at the memory of the ambulance's siren. He had been one of the few kids still in the hallway, so he had seen the kid's arms tied in a knot, bones crushed in order to do so. The boy was still recovering from last year. Ryou was sweet and innocent, but also weak and naïve. His brother on the other hand was deadly, protective, and had no fear. He didn't mind the suspension he had gotten, and he would have been expelled if Ryou, the school's top student, hadn't threatened to leave with his twin. At least, that's what rumors had said.

Mariku nodded and Marik continued. "Isn't Bakura a little, how should I say this, INSANE?"

"What can I say, it's an attractive quality. Besides, I think he has a nicer side to himself... He didn't kill me when I asked him out after all." He shrugged as if he didn't know what the gossip was surrounding the twins.

"You can't date a maniac!"

"Watch me. And you're going to date his brother."

"Who says?"

"I do."

Marik sighed. "Give me one good reason why I should."

"Because that's what Rishid would tell you to do. Follow your heart."

Mariku knew he had gotten Marik by the look in his glazed-over eyes. They glistened as the memory of the familiar catchphrase ran through his head.

"Is that… Marik and Mariku Ishtar! Get to class before I write you a detention, and you know teachers have no patience for Friday detentions!" The hall monitor who was inspecting the corridor had no patience for slackers like those two. He was too far away to notice Marik's smeared make-up.

"We're going!" Mariku called back, handing Marik a tissue from his bag before dragging him along the hallway towards the first class of the day.

Marik had made up his mind. "M-Mariku… I need to tell you something."

"Yeah?"

"I'm going tonight." It was Rishid's quote that had really made him think. As per usual, he knew exactly what to say even if it wasn't him speaking.

"Great!"

* * *

><p>The clock said five thirty. He wasn't ready for this. He never would be. What would other people say?<p>

"Are you ready yet? We need to be there early so they don't give up our table!" Mariku sashayed into the living room of their small apartment. Anzu was currently on vacation in the Swiss Alps, a good thing because of her strict nature. She would have never let Mariku leave the house with what he was wearing. He had a skin-tight leather top on with sand-colored cargo pants. His typical gold jewelry was on as well as his make-up, but that wasn't the ridiculous part. He was wearing a dark purple cape, one that looked like it belonged on a costume rack. As much as Marik hated to admit it, his brother actually made it look wearable even though their nanny would have had a heart attack.

"What in the name of all things gold and leather-like are you wearing?" He motioned towards Marik who hadn't changed his outfit from school. "You can't wear the same thing you wore to school! Go change, I'll wait."

No, if I'm going on this double date with you, I can wear whatever I want." Mariku frowned at Marik only to see determination burning in his lilac eyes. Marik didn't have much power over how the night would play out, but he did have the power to choose what he wore.

"Fine, let's just go. Can you at least fix your hair a bit? It's sticking up a bit in the back."

Marik laughed at this comment seeing as his brother's hair defied gravity. He ran his fingers through it a bit before following Mariku out the door and pulling them closer towards their walk to the restaurant.

* * *

><p>"M-Mariku, can we afford this?"<p>

The restaurant that they arrived at was a five-star French eating establishment that looked more like someone's fancy mansion that a place to dine. Off-white turrets and pillars plus the rose garden towards the side gave the building a timeless elegant style.

"I've been saving my allowance for the last two years waiting for a chance to go here. I'm positive that I can afford it." Marik smiled at the answer and walked towards then entrance. "Of course, it helps that Marik is terrible at hiding his money," he mumbled before running up to join his twin.

The man who was seating tables was wearing a crisp black suit, as were the rest of the men who worked there. He had a perfectly shaved face, and brown-to-the-point-of-being-black eyes that glared at the teens. He spoke with a deep monotone voice as if he rehearsed his line for years.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, we have a reservation. It should be under Ishtar." Mariku did the talking as he settled where they'd sit, followed the waiter to the table, and thanked him for the two of them. The booth that they had gotten had an excellent view of the rose bushes below, not to mention the gorgeous night sky. They sat opposite each other to make room for their dates.

"So…" Marik played with the silverware on the table awkwardly. He was nervous: after all, this was his first date and with a boy nonetheless.

Mariku had been on more dates and suffered more heartbreaks than he could count on a single hand, so recognized Marik's fear in a heartbeat. "Look, all you need to do tonight is be yourself. Don't try to hide anything and just relax, okay?" Marik gave a nod and took a few calming breaths.

'This would be easy,' He told himself. 'It might even be enjoyable.'

"Hi guys!" A sunshine-like voice chirped to their right. Both boys turned to see the white-haired twins, one grinning like a small child, the other pulling at his tight collar in annoyance. Both of them were wearing matching blue high-neck jackets with golden buttons sewn on for decoration. They had on simple black slacks and each wore a golden ring on their pinkies. Ryou's hair looked soft as a cloud with slight spikes towards the bottom of his mass of hair. Bakura however looked like he just woke up, his hair a complete mess as per usual.

Bakura took a seat next to Mariku while Ryou slid up close to Marik who blushed furiously.

"What are we ordering?" Ryou asked, flashing a smile.

Mariku was turned to Bakura having his own conversation. By the look on Bakura's aggravated face, Marik could tell that his brother was teasing the boy. Ryou looked over at Marik and repeated his question, this time directed at him.

"Um… Well, we could have… I mean…" His brain froze as he tried to remember a fancy-sounding French entrée.

"Hey, we could get roost goose! I heard it's pretty good. What do you think Marik?"

"Sure, sounds good. Guys, do you want that?" They were in the middle of an arm wrestling match. People at other tables looked over with disgust at them as they ate their meals. "I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

><p>One entrée filled with Bakura's complaints about not having his meat bloody enough ("I only eat rare meat!" He had yelled, causing more awkward glances than they were already getting) along with a plate of cheese that had been brought to the table ("It's a French tradition," Ryou had told them) later, they were patiently waiting for their dessert to come. Bakura and Mariku hadn't even acknowledged their brothers, they were too busy having arm and thumb wrestling contests as well as trading off insults to each other.<p>

"Your hair looks stupid!"

"Yeah, well yours has too much hair gel!"

A gasp was heard. "Take that back or else!"

"Or else you'll do what?" A smirk was seen.

Both Ryou and Marik had decided that watching their brothers was better than any type of cable television. They were now observing their twelfth glaring contest of the night.

Ryou turned to Marik, bored with the commotion Bakura was causing. "I get this all the time. We try to go somewhere nice, I even pick out what he wears, and he still messes things up. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine! This is hilarious!" Marik smiled and blushed at Ryou. He looked adorable when he frowned, one corner of his lips dipping slightly lower than the other. "So," He said to change the subject. "Do you have any hobbies?"

Ryou brightened a bit. "I love to sew. I actually added these buttons onto the jacket; they looked so dull without them." Marik looked at them with new-found interest. He had always wanted to learn how to sew, but Mariku had told him at a young age that it was for sissies and that Anzu couldn't afford lessons.

"How do you sew exactly? I've always wanted to learn…"

"You can come over to my house tomorrow! I'd love to teach you, as long as you have patience of course."

Marik grinned. "Patience is my middle name! Have you sewn anything else?"

"These pants actually. Well, Bakura's. The store only had it in my size, so I copied the design and material."

Marik was shocked. They looked exactly the same! He would have never guessed…

"Ryou, Marik, the dessert's here!" Bakura announced before he shoveled half of the chocolate mousse cake into his mouth. He looked like a chipmunk storing nuts for winter.

"Hey, I want some of that!" Mariku pushed Bakura off the seat completely and grabbed a chunk of the cake with his hands.

"It's mine!"

"No, you had your share!"

Ryou glanced at Marik sideways. "Want to go somewhere else for a minute?"

Marik looked over at the waiter who had had enough with the trouble-making teens. He was whispering to the manager as they spoke.

"I'm right behind you." They slid out of the cozy booth and walked towards the outer entrance. Ryou stopped him at the vestibule and made sure no one was there with them.

"I… Thanks for the wonderful night out. I'm so sorry for Bakura's behavior…"

"Are you kidding? Mariku was just as bad if not worse than Bakura! I should be the one apologizing to you! Ha, I can't wait to hear Mariku's story about how they got kicked out of–"

Ryou smiled slightly, looking nervous. Marik was about to ask what was wrong when Ryou stepped forward and kissed Marik full on the lips. At first, the teen was stunned. Ryou seemed like the last person on Earth to make a first move! Marik kissed back with passion he had never imagined having before. His first date and first kiss; all with a boy!

'No,' he chastised himself. 'It's not just _a_ boy, it's _the_ boy!'

A group of high-class women walked past them and scoffed at their behavior. Marik ignored them and closed his eyes to savor the moment. When they parted for air, they looked at each other and smiled in a love-dazed way.

"I need to find Bakura. I'll see you tomorrow at noon, okay? Make sure you bring your own material."

Marik, still dazed, simply nodded. He hardly noticed when Ryou hugged him good-bye and kissed him lightly on the cheek. He also didn't realize until he was back at home that Mariku had found and dragged him there.

"That was by far the best date I've ever been on! After the waiter tried to kick us out, we ran into the kitchen and managed to grab three more plates of chocolate mousse cake! Bakura got his jacket dirty though, so I bet Ryou will be on his case. By the time I found you, they were threatening to call the cops on us! It was hilarious; this one guy's toupee fell off and into his soup when we ran past him! That Bakura comes up with the best ideas… I can't wait to see him tomorrow!" He finally stopped to breath. "So enough about me, how was your night?" Mariku asked casually.

Marik played with his hands only to pause and stare down. A gleam of gold caught his eyes. He lifted his right hand to see that a golden band was on his pinkie finger. He took it off and looked at the inner part of the ring.

_To Marik, thanks for such a special night and I hope we can continue as a couple, from Ryou._

That Ryou must have slipped it on while they were hugging! He was pretty sneaky for such an innocent looking teen. Maybe he got it from Bakura…

Marik suddenly remembered another of Rishid's favorite lines. "When one expresses emotions that you hold similar, do not shun them, but instead embrace them." Mariku looked confused at the random uttering of logic, but Marik put an amused grin to silence any questions.

"My night was absolutely perfect."

* * *

><p>Hikari: I have a quick question before you (hopefully) press the review button. Would any of you be interested in a sequel from Ryou and Bakura's point of view? Just reviewPM me if you're curious!

Yamie: R&R!

~midknightXXX


End file.
